Have you Suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury Without Even Knowing It?

Help us help you. You may have a traumatic brain injury as part of your workers’ compensation case and not even know it. You’re probably asking yourself, how is this even possible? How did my doctor not realize this? How did I not realize this? How did I miss the signs? Were the signs or symptoms obvious?

Perhaps:

You didn’t realize that a brain injury can result by a jolting of your head without ever striking it.

You did explore the possibility of a brain injury but your MRI or CT proved normal.

You may have been on medications that suppressed your symptoms.

If you have (or think you have) suffered a brain injury on the job, it is important to medically establish an industrial basis for it. Discuss all of your symptoms with your doctor. And, remember that it is vital to keep records documenting the injury and the subsequent treatment in order to receive the full range of workers’ compensation benefits to which you are entitled.

What is a brain injury?
Brain injuries come in different forms and severity. Moderate to severe closed-head injuries often result from accidents that force the soft tissue of the brain into contact with the hard, bony skull. Long-term effects and poor prognosis turn these injuries into major, often life-long, problems. Mild traumatic brain injuries (MTI) – otherwise known as concussions – may share features with the more severe brain injuries that can also lead to longer-term problems. As such, these types of injuries are often overlooked.

People suffering a simple concussion are typically confused and may not be able to remember events (amnesia), which is often—but not always-- accompanied by a loss of consciousness. These symptoms may be apparent immediately after the head injury or may appear several minutes later.
The amnesia almost always involves loss of memory about the accident/injury, but may also include loss of recall for events immediately before and after the head trauma. Details regarding the presence and the duration of loss of consciousness, confusion, and amnesia are considered potentially important to understanding the severity of the injury. (Getting a card from the ambulance team or from the first responder(s) is extremely helpful. They can later be interviewed or through your case we can obtain those medical records.)

Other signs and symptoms of a concussion may immediately follow the injury or evolve gradually over several minutes to hours. Signs observed in someone with a concussion may include the following:

Inability to focus attention (easily distracted and unable to follow through with normal activities)

Disorientation

Slurred or incoherent speech

Gross observable incoordination

Hours to Days:

Sleep disturbances

Emotionality out of proportion to circumstances

Memory deficits

Evaluation and treatment:
For clinical and medical/legal purposes, it is essential for physicians from several different specialties to evaluate a patient for long-term consequences of a brain injury. A good starting point is a neurologist, who can screen a patient for the signs and symptoms of brain injury, including a brain scan to check for abnormalities in the brain structure. Additionally, it may be beneficial for an injured worker to have an evaluation by a neuropsychologist who can identify changes in the person’s behavior and cognitive mental abilities, even if they are subtle. The behavioral changes may also necessitate seeing a psychiatrist for diagnosis and management of the symptoms.

Brain injuries are serious business. Consult your physician if you believe you have suffered a brain injury, on or off the job. If you would like to speak with an attorney about your legal options, please call 213-739-7000 or click here.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This web site is for informational purposes only. If you are seeking legal advice or representation, please contact us at 213 739-7000. Pursuant to Labor Code Section 5432(a), making a false or fraudulent workers' compensation claim is a felony subject to up to 5 years in prison or a fine of up to $50,000 or double the value of the fraud, whichever is greater, or by both imprisonment and fine. For more information, click here.